Police Subdue Knife-Wielding

Police Subdue Knife-Wielding

Dozens of police vehicles, from patrol cars to huge equipment vans, were on the scene at Seaview Avenue and East 93rd Street Monday as officers took part in confrontation with apparent emotionally disturbed person. The 16-year-old was subdued and taken to Brookdale Hospital for observation. Charles Rogers

Youth At Seaview Ave. Home

By Charles Rogers

Police used patience and caution during a standoff with an apparently emotionally disturbed person who lunged at them with a knife last Monday. After attacking 69th Precinct officers, including Deputy Inspector Jeannine Jennette, commander of the precinct, the 16-year-old barricaded himself in a bedroom before being arrested by Emergency Service Unit (E.S.U.) officers.

According to Sergeant Raymond Singletary, a warrant obtained by his mother was being served to the youth, whose name was not released, so he could be taken to an area hospital for mental observation.

"The mother came into the stationhouse early in the morning with the warrant in her hand and said she would need help to get her son to a city mental hygiene agency," said Sgt. Singletary, noting that a similar standoff had taken place with the same youth a month ago, "so we were prepared, to a degree."

Lucky they were prepared, because when Inspector Jennette and Sergeant Singletary approached the front door of the house on Seaview Avenue, the door flew open and the youth came lunging at both officers with an eight-inch knife in one hand and a five-inch knife in the other. Both officers drew their guns and the youth turned and ran into the house, shouting, "Go ahead, shoot me in the back! Go ahead!" He then barricaded himself in a rear bedroom.

A call was sent out to the E.S.U. officers, who arrived in minutes in full helmet gear and, after trying to talk the youth out of the bedroom, used pepper spray to subdue him and wrested the knives from him. He was placed in handcuffs and the officers had to use straps to keep him restrained.

The teen was charged with attempted assault and taken to Brookdale Hospital for observation. Sergeant Singletary said there were no injuries to police, but the suspect received a contusion to his forehead while trying to elude his captors.